DIGITAL HEALTH

It was inevitable that someone would create a better way to help us keep track of our meds. After all, the time for those impossible-to-pry-open plastic containers with tiny day-labeled compartments has come and gone.

But we weren't expecting Bluetooth.

Boston and Haifa, Israel-based company Medisafe has just announced a new “smart pill management” system that enables your pillboxes to talk to your smartphone.

Their iCap™ is a Bluetooth-equipped cap that fits most standard pill bottles dispensed with prescriptions in the U.S. For people taking multiple medications or more complex regimens, there is iSort™, a Bluetooth-enabled weekly pill organizer. Together with their smartphone software, the company calls the system Medisafe iConnect™.

The bundled solution allows users to have their medication intake automatically logged as the iConnect devices transmit signals when they are opened directly into the Medisafe software. This information is then stored in the cloud and available to the user via the Medisafe mobile app.

Medisafe's medication management app provides users with a combination of “reminders, motivation, social support, education and discounts” to help them take their medications. Additionally, Medisafe Providers allows healthcare professionals to see how well treatment plans are working and make any needed changes as soon as a problem is identified, helping patients avoid unnecessary doctor visits and hospitalizations.

A spokesman for the company said "Our solution not only allows patients to easily track their own medication intake, but also provides peace of mind to families who are caring for their loved ones. With automatic notifications whenever a bottle or sorter is opened, users can know instantly when it is time for a dose and be sure they take their medications on schedule."